1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to computer software and, more specifically, to communicating information received from one group of computer application programs to those of a second group of computer application programs to whom the information is pertinent.
2. Background
Computers are ubiquitous in modern society. In many settings such as schools, businesses, and the like, computers may be connected to a network. The network may be local to one facility, such as an intranet or local area network (LAN), may couple computers and devices at multiple locations such as an extranet or wide area network (WAN), or may be a shared public network such as the Internet or other publicly accessible WAN. Each of these networks may provide for the sharing of resources or for the sharing of information about resources such as computers, printers, network access devices, and the like. In various contexts, the resources may be devices such as printers, disk arrays, routers, hubs, etc. or other computers on the network.
A server computer may include multiple processors and multiple devices directly connected to or included in the computer's housing. To keep such a computer running efficiently and without problems, monitoring software may be used to access information about the computer, its devices, and the network it is connected to. Such monitoring software may be particularly helpful if the server computer serves web pages for Internet web sites. To keep a network running efficiently and without problems, monitoring software may be used to monitor the status of network devices such as routers, hubs, etc.; devices on the network such as printers and driver arrays; and computers on the network. The same software may be used to monitor the status of components and devices coupled directly to a computer or within a computer and to monitor other computers and devices connected via a network. In some environments, a systems operator or network manager employed to maintain the computers, networks and devices may be at one location or within a location and may be required to monitor the status of computers and devices in a LAN and/or WAN which may be at another location in the same building or the same campus, or which may be in different cities, states or countries. The person may use monitoring software to view the status of computers and devices in a LAN and/or WAN.